Ironing device



Feb. 20, 1945.

E, E. FOSTER IRONING DEVICE Filed 001:. 14, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i :f M l Feb. 20, 1945. I E, E. FOSTER IRONING DEVICE Filed 001.- 14 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1945- E. E. FOSTER 2,369,732

IRONING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 20, 1945. E. E. FOSTER 2,369,732

IRONING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 z'zizi Patented Feb. 20, 1945 UNITED STATE PAT IRONING nEvicE Edwin E. Foster, Austin, Tex.

Application October 14, 1941, Serial him-414,987

' 20 Claims.-

The present invention relates to an ironing device which is manually guided and operates automatically.

It is an object of this invention to mount a sad iron so tht it may be movable with ironing pressure on an ironing board in any direction and which is supported and maintained at the released position above the ironing board when the operator's hand has released the handle of the iron.

It is a. further object of the invention to so construct the mechanism in the handle and guiding parts of the iron to apply an ironing pressure or force by the weight of the operators hand and; arm as the operator guides the iron over the ma'-- terial to be ironed.

A still further object of-the invention resides in the lever action in which the weight of the operator's hand and arm or hand alone is multi-- plied into a force sufficient to produce an ironing pressure on the material to be ironed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a brake device in the arm of the ironso that the iron and arm will remain in the position above the ironing board where released by the operator and to automatically render the brake effective and non-effective dependent upon the vertical position of the iron relative to the arm.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section of the ironing device in the ironing position,

Fig. 2 is a side view partly in section of the ironing device in the non-ironing and released position,

Fig. 3 is a side view of the brake levers,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the brake levers,

Fig. 5 is a plan View partly in section of the handle bracket,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the handle bracket taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5,

Fig, '7 is a plan view of the handle lever,

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the handle lever taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the connecting link,

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the connecting link taken on line |lI-.-l0 of Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the actuating lever,

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section of the actuating lever taken: on line |2-|2 of Fig. 11,

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the spring,

Fig. 14 is a longitudinal section of the spring taken on line |4--|4 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of an electric cord can duit and regulator pointer, 1

Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the electric cord conduit and regulator polntertaken on line |6-|6 of Fig. 15, 1

.Fig, 17 is a cross section taken'on line 11-41 of Fig.1, and

Fig. 18 is a cross of Fig. 1.

The ironing device is provided with any type of sad iron 3| suitably heated by an electriccurrent and having a hollow post 32, 1 n-handlebrac'ke'tfl 4, Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6. is secured tothe post 32 at the top .33 by a suitable rivet or'screw,'not shown. a

A' handle'o'r grip member lof'any suitable ma: terial is pivotally mounted on the handle bracket 4' by means of a pin ithrough the intermediary of ahandle lever 2, Figs. 1, 2,7, and 8, pivotally mounted on the pin 5 and secured to the handle I by means of a screw 3. An actuating'lever I, Figs. 1, 2, 11 and 12- is pivotally'mounted in the handle bracket 4 by means of a'pin to having. one and connected bya pin 8 to one end of a connecting link 6.. Figs. 1, 2, 9 and 10. The other end of the connecting link 6 is connected to the handle lever 2 by means oi a pin 1 and the other end of the actuating lever B is connected, by means of pins 34, to a pair of upstanding-lugs,

35 mounted on a bearing in the member-3t of" 0 the articulated arm 31 as for instance shown in Patent No. 2,231,896 of Feb. 18, 1941. Thus, the iron may be rotated 360 on the arm 31. A safety pin type of spring II is mounted on pm It and has one end l3 bearing against the bracket 4 connected to an ironing board by means of a spindle 2| forming a rotary connection. This arm 3'! permits the iron 3| to be moved over an ironing board in all horizontal directions,

The arm 31 is provided with. an automatic brake :or friction device, Figs. 1 to 4, which is adapted to hold the arm andiron in any released position above the ironing board to Prevent-the iron and arm from swinging, 'if,.f or instance, the ironing board" 40 is not exactly horizontal. The brake device is automatically released when the further the iron 3| may even be moved together withthe armin the raised position bylmereiy overcoming the friction of the brake. The brake device comprises two parts 4 ahdl'l, Figs. 3. 4,, v 17 and 18, of which the forward brake lever It section taken on line and the other end 30 against the lever 8 to couniron 3| is forced down on the ironing board and is pivotally mounted on a pin IS in the arm section 36. The rear brake lever ll is pivoted by means of a pin It! on the arm section 38 and as seen in Figs. 17 and 18, both arm section 38 and lever H are U-shaped, but the lever fits over the arm section 38, whereas the arm section 36 and lever l4 are also U-shaped but the lever I4 is in its arm section.

The lever Figs. 3 and 4 is provided at one end with a circular fiat ring section 4| and at the other end with a friction block IS. The lever I1 is also provided at one end with a circular flat ring section 42 and at the other end with a friction block IS in a short projecting lug 43. The friction block |6 cooperates with the ring 42 and the friction block |9 cooperates with a stationary disk 20 secured to the top of the stationary spindle 2| by means of a screw 44.

The electric cord or cords 45 enters the iron through the protecting conduit or tube 46, Figs. 15 and 16, and passes along the web 41 of the handle bracket 4 into the top end of the post 32 and through the latter to the heating units (not shown) in the iron. A thermostat dial 23, which is adjustable, cooperates with a pointer 50 forming apart of the plate 48 which is secured to the bracket handle 4 bymeans of a screw 49. The thermostat adjusting device for heat regulation and cut-off of electric current when the iron istoo hot is well known and therefore needs no further explanations.

' The ironing device operates'as follows:

In the position of the iron 3| in Fig. 2 the parts are shown in the inoperative or non-ironiron while counterbalancing, and to eliminate any high bearing pressures. When the iron 3| contacts the ironing board 40 the weight of the operators hand and forearm on the handle I will exert an ironing pressure through the connecting link 6, actuating lever B, lugs '35 and articulated arm 31 to'the' ironing board 40 which will thus force the iron 3| on the board through the handle bracket 4 and post 32. A pressure or weight of the operators hand and arm of approximately three. pounds will exert an ironing force of approximately twenty pounds. In the position of Fig. 1 the brake or friction device is inoperative so that the arm 31 may be articulated to permit the movement of the iron in any direction on the board..

The brakedevice, Figs. 1 to 4, automatically locks the elbow joint 5| and the pivot joint 52 when the iron is in its lifted position, Fig. 2, by the action of the spring The top 53 of the iron 3| presses against the ring 4|, due to the lift of the spring II. This forces the lever l4 slightly clockwise around the pin l5, Figs. 1 and 2, whereby the brake block [6 will frictionally contact the ring 42 of the lever I! to lock the elbow joint 5|. Pressure of the block l6 will force the lever ll slightly clockwise around the pin I8 I to frictionally contact the brake block I9 against the disk 20 secured on the spindle 2| by means of the screw 44, thereby locking the joint 52 by the force of said block l9 against the disk 20. This prevents the arm 31 as well as the iron 3| from wandering or rotating from the released position as the iron 3| is held in place relative to the arm 36 by means of the ring 4|, Fig. 2 which is a metal to metal contact. As soon as the operator pushes the handle and iron slightly downward, this brake or friction action is automatically and immediately released and remains inoperative as long as the iron is in contact with the material to be ironed, since the spring is inoperative on the brake device.

The brake blocks l6. and [9 are suitably secured on' the levers I4 and Il respectively by means of receiving cups into which the blocks are pressed and are made of any suitable material such as leather, impregnated fabric, etc.

The parts 2, 4, 6, 8, l4 and I! may be suitably made by stamping and pressing these parts into shape with webs connecting the two parallel sides of each part. As these parts are shown in detail on the drawings the connecting pins are also shown and indicated.

It is, of course, understood that the various parts may be modified and thus the exact showing of the details does not necessarily limit the invention to such exact constructions.

I claim as my invention:

1. An ironing device comprising an iron, horizontally movable means for supporting the iron over an ironing surface so that the iron may be movedhorizontally at will, means whereby the iron may be moved vertically relative to the supporting means, a handle for the iron, and automatic means in the supporting means responsive to the raising of the iron relative to the supporting means to frictionally maintain the iron and the supporting means against horizontal movement in the non-ironing position of the iron.

2. An ironing device comprising an iron, an articulated arm horizontally movable and for supporting the iron over an ironing surface so that the iron may be moved horizontally at will by means of the joints of the articulated arm. means whereby the iron may be moved vertically relative to the arm in contact with and above the ironing surface, andmeans in the arm responsive.to the raising of the iron relative to the arm to frictionally and automatically lock the joints when the iron is in the raised position above the ironing surface.

3. An ironing device comprising an arm adapted to'be pivotally connected to an ironing surface and rotatable parallel to said surface, an iron mounted on the other end of the arm having means to automatically raise the iron relative to the arm from the ironing surface when released, and means responsive to the raising of the iron relative to the arm to automatically lock the pivotal connection of the arm when the iron is released to prevent swinging of the iron and arm around the pivotal connection.

4. An ironing device comprising an articulated arm having-a joint intermediate its ends and a pivotal connection at one end thereof, an iron mounted at the other end of the arm and having means automatically operative upon release of the iron for raising same relative to the arm, and means in the arm automatically operative by the vertical movement of the iron to frictionally lock the joint and pivotal connection when the iron released to prevent swinging of the iron and arm.

5. An ironing device comprising an articulated arm having a joint intermediate its ends and a pivotal connection at one end thereof, an iron mounted at the other end of the arm and having means automatically operative upon release of the iron for raising same relativeto the arm, means automatically operative by the vertical movement of the iron to lock the joint, and means operative by the last-mentioned means to lock the pivotal connection to prevent swinging of the iron and arm. I

6. An ironing device comprising an arm having two sections .hingedly connected to each other, an iron mounted on one of the sections and having means automatically operative upon release of the iron for raising same relative to the arm, a pivotal connection on the other section, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to one of the sections, a second lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the other section, and means on each lever whereby the iron when raised will automatically actuate one lever to lock the joint between the two sections and the last-mentioned lever will actuate the second lever to lock the arm at the pivotal connection to prevent swinging of the iron and arm when the iron is not in use.

7. An ironing device comprising an iron of the sad iron type, a horizontally movable arm for mounting said iron to support the latter when not in use and to permit the iron to be moved at will over an ironing surface, and friction means in the arm automatically operativeupon release of the iron to prevent horizontal movement of the arm whereby the iron will remain where released.

8. An ironing device according to claim 6, in which each lever is provided with a fiat ring section on one end and a friction block at the other end with a pivot pin intermediate the ends.

9. A frictional brake device for. a sad iron mounted on an arm with vertical movement so that the iron will be securely supported above the ironing surface at the exact point where released by the operator and means automatically operative upon release of the iron for raising same relative to the arm, comprising a lever carried by the arm and having means at one end which is contacted by the iron when the latter is released and having a brake material at the other end, whereby when the lever is actuated by the iron, the brake material will frictionally hold the arm in an immovable position.

10. A frictional brake device for a sad iron mounted on an articulated arm with vertical movement so that the iron will be securely supiron is not in use, said iron having a handle bracket, an,actuating lever pivotally mounted on the handlefbracket, and having one end pivoted 'to the arm, a handle pivotally mounted on the handle bracket a connecting link" pivotally mounted on the handle at one end and tne other end secured to the other end-of the actuatin lever, a force of the weight of the operators hand and arm multiplyingthe force of the iron on the ironing surface by the linkconnection or the handle, and means mounted between the handle bracket and the lever to raise and support the iron on the arm when the operator releases the handle.

13. An ironing device according to claim 12, in which said means is in theform of a spring provided on the pivotal connection of the actuating lever having one end effective on the handle bracket and the other end on the actuating lever to counterbalance the weight of the iron.

14. An ironing device according to claim 12,

in which said means is in the form of a spring.

provided on the pivotal connection of the actuating lever having one end effective on the handle bracket and the other end on the actuating lever to counterbalance the weight of the iron, said spring being of the safety pin ported above the ironing surface atthe exact point where released by the operator and means automatically operative upon release of the iron for raising same relative to the arm, comprising a pair of levers carried by the articulated arm and each arm having a ring section at one/ end and a brake material at the other end, whereby, when the iron is released by the operator, the ring section of one lever will be actuated by the iron to cause firm contact of the brake material of that lever with the ring section of the other lever to thereby frictionally lock the joints of the arm to hold the arm and in an immovable position.

type with the ends effective on the bracket and lever and, the loop part on the pivotal connection.

15'. An ironing device comprising an iron;

and an arm on which the iron is mounted to support the iron over an ironing surface when the iron is not in use and means to permit vertical movement of the iron relative to the arm, said iron having a handle bracket, an actuating lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the handle bracket and having one end secured to the arm, a handle lever pivotally mounted on the handle bracket and having a handle secured thereto, and a connecting link pivotally mounted on the handle lever at one end and the other end secured to the other end of the actuating lever, said pivotal mounting of the connecting link to the handle lever being spaced from the pivotal mounting of' the handle lever to the handle bracket, whereby a force of the weight of the operators hand and arm multiplies the force of the iron on the ironing surface.

.16. An ironing device according to claim l5, in which a safety pin type spring is mounted on the pivotal mounting of the actuating lever on the bracket, whereby the ends of the spring are effective on the actuating lever and bracket to counterbalance the weight of the iron on the arm.

17. An ironing device comprising a jointed arm adapted to be pivotally connected to an ironing surface, an iron mounted on the other end "of the arm having means to automatically raise the iron relative to the arm from the ironing surface when released, said pivoted and jointed arm permitting the iron to be moved horizontally in any direction on the ironing surface, and means in the arm to automatically lock the jointed arm and the pivotal connection when the iron is released to prevent swinging of the iron and arm around the pivotal connection and the joint or the arm, said last-mentioned means being operative by the raising means in the iron.

18. An ironing device comprising a jointed arm adapted to be pivotally connected to an iron mounted on the other hand of the arm having a spring to automatically raise the iron relative to the arm from the ironing surface when released, said pivoted and iointed arm permitting the iron to be moved horizontally in any direction on the ironing surface, and means in the arm to automatically lock the jointed arm and the pivotal connection when the iron is released to prevent swinging of the iron and arm around the pivotal connection and the Joint of the arm, said last-mentioned means being operative by the spring in the iron.

19. In an articulately supported and vertically and horizontally movable sad iron, a friction brake device mounted in the articulated support, and a spring in the sad iron operative of the iron and its supporting means.

EDWIN E. FOISTER. 

